Colleagues and Fellow Veterans and Servicemembers,

Like any military mission, transitioning to civilian life takes preparation, research, planning, and the right tools. One of the most powerful tools you have is the GI Bill®, and it’s important to know how to use it.

That’s why we are excited to introduce two unique tools to help you in your decision process.

We have recently updated our ‘Choosing the Right School’ Guide.  This new version includes information about the different types of degrees/programs that you can use with the GI Bill, the importance of school accreditation, and much more valuable information to help you make the right decisions on where to use your hard earned benefits!  You can check it out at:http://www.benefits.va.gov/…/factshee…/Choosing_a_School.pdf

As well we would like to introduce VA’s “Know Before You Go” video, featuring Veterans who have used their GI Bill benefits and offer great advice for how you can make the most of yours.

You can use your benefits to obtain an associate, bachelor’s, master’s degree, or even a Ph.D. You can participate in a certification program to gain the credential required for the civilian job you want. You can learn a new trade through an apprenticeship or on-the-job training.

For some Veterans, having so many options can feel overwhelming. “Make sure you have a plan,” says Kyle White, an Army Veteran and Medal of Honor Recipient who appears in the video. The GI Bill Comparison Tool is a great place to start. But perhaps the most powerful resource to help you make well-informed decisions about the future is your network of fellow Veterans.

Take a moment to watch the video https://Know_Before_You_Go to hear more from Kyle and other Veterans. I am confident that you will learn something new and want to share the video with your fellow Servicemembers and Veterans.  We will soon have it on our GI Bill website, our Comparison Tool and including it in our TAP classes.

We all need to make sure this generation of Veterans has every opportunity to succeed. We understand how important it is to prepare for life after the military, and we will continue working to provide you with the research and tools you need.

As always – please feel free to pass this on!

V/R

Curtis L. Coy

Deputy Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity

Veterans Benefits Administration

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

VA Core Values:  Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, Excellence (“I CARE”)

Please Remember:

• If you would like to review prior messages sent through this listserv, clickhttp://benefits.va.gov/vow/economic_opportunity.htm.

• If you would like to research, find, access, and, in time, manage your VA benefits and personal information please visit and/or register athttps://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal.

• If you looking for a job or an employer committed to hiring Veterans, please register on the Veterans Employment Center™ (VEC) at:https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/jobs

• If you are seeking employment in the federal government, particularly the VA, our VA for Vets high-tech tools and resources can help. Visit online at http://vaforvets.va.gov/or call 1-855-824-8387.

If you would like to contact us about your VA education benefits:

You can send us a secure email that will usually be answered within 48 hours. You can also search for answers to frequently asked questions and register to be notified of any updates to the information. This contact method is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can also be utilized worldwide. Click here to enter the “Ask A Question” site or here to review our frequently asked questions.

You can call 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551). This line only accepts calls from 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM central time Monday – Friday.